Liquid-vending device



' J. C. G EBHART.

LIQUID VENDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1921.

3SHEETSSHEET 1.

1,488,912. Patented Dec. 12,1922,

- 3mm v JV/M 6? mm? J. 0. GEBHART.

LIQUID VENDING DEVICE. v APPLICATION H'LED SEPT 26. I92].

1,48,912, Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- fly .5.

(1% uento'z m? a 56mm J. C. GEBHART. LIQUID VENDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-26.1921.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 3- m T, Z W% 5v affozmzu Patented Dec. 12, rear.

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JOHN C. GEBHART, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO KEYSTONE IRON 8n STEEL WORKS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

LIQUID-VENDING DEVICE.

Application filed September 26, 1921. Serial No. 503,201.

T (/17 iii/10m it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN Grammar,

a citizen of the United States, residing at lios Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California. have invented new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Vemh ing Devices, of which the following is a specili *ation.

This invention relates to liquid vending devices and particularly to that type of vender in which a measured quantity of gasoline or other liquidis raised from a storage reservoir to an elevated tank by means of compressed air or other fluid under pressure.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a vending device in which a storage reservoir. a pressure tank and an elevated measuring tank are interconnected by pipes so that gasoline may be fed to the elevated measuring tank from the pressure tank and the latter replenished from the storage reservoir.'a fluid pressure system being operably associated with the pressure tank which supplies the motive force for the displacement otthe gasoline from said pressure tank into the measuring tank.

Another object of the invention is the coilsl'i'iu'tion ot" a gasoline vending device in which the pressure tank is situated at a lower level than the storage reservoir so as to feed by gravity from the latter. said pressure tank being alternately connectable with a source of tluid pressure and with the atmosphere for the purpose oi first applying pressure for the displacement of gasoline therefrom into an elevated measuring tank. and then evacuating said pressure tank to permit ICPlPIllSllIHtZIit-lll161t0f by gravity lrom the storage reservoir.

.\nother object of the invention is to provide a pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit in communication with the pressure tank. and a plurality of valves controlling said conduits said valves being simultaneously operable the one to close and the other to open their respective conduits.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means tor operating the valves controlling the pressure. supply and venting conduits. the pressure supply valve being provided with means normally urging it to closed position and being initially moved to open position manually, there being means as independent of the opening and closing means for controlling the duration of the open period of said valve, said means being responsive to the height of liquid level in the measuring tank.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improved liquid vending device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and particularly claimed, and in such variations and modifications thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

In the 'drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, and wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated c.-

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation showing the general assemblage of the parts constituting the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing on a larger scale in detail the upper portion of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 2 the upper part being broken away.

Fig. i is a sectional view through the fluid pressure control valve casing.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 4.

In the drawings. the embodiment of the invention shown COll'lPllSQS a storage tank 1 a pressure tank 2 and a measuring tank 3 the last named being located at an ele 'ation with respect to the storageand pressure tanks and the storage tank being at higher level than the pressure tank. These tanks are connected by a system of gasoline conduits including a feed pipe 4 between the storage reservoir and pressure tank. a filling, pipe 5 leading from adjacent the bottom of the pressure tank to the bottom oi the measuring tank 3 and a return or drainage pipe 6 communicating at its lower end with the storage reservoir and being divided near its upper end into two branches 7 and 8 one of which has communication with the bottom of the measuring tank. the other branch 8 extending to a plane within said measuring tank representing the maximum level of liquid to be forced into said tank.

To the lower branch 7 of the drainage pipe 6 the filling hose 9 is attached and a norniallv closed valve is located in said branch between said filling hose connection and the storage l'ti'sm'YOlt.

atmosphere, being connected at 14. with the vent stack by which the contents of the storage reservoir are kept at. atmospheric pressure.

Referring to Figure 4, the conduit 12 is adapted to be put into communication alternately with either of the conduits 10 or 13 by means of simultaneously operable valves 16-and 17 the former controlling a port 18 connecting the pressure supplyconduit 10 a and the conduit 12 and the other controlling a port 19 and which connects the conduits 12 and 13. WVhen the valve 16 is in closed position the valve 17 is open and vice versa. Thus when air is being admitted to the pressure tank through the conduit 12 the vent passage therefrom is closed but as soon as the air admission valve 16 closed cutting off the pressure supply from said pressure tank the valve 17'opens venting said tank and reducing the pressiire therein to atmospheric pressure. This is to permit a refilling of the pressure tank by gravity from the-storage reservoir. A check valve 20 in the filling conduit 4: of said reservoir closes in the di rection of the storage reservoir to provide for the retention of pressure within the pressure tank 2.

The simultaneous operation of the valves 16 and 17 is brought about by movement of a lever 21 fulcrumed at 22 in a bracket 23 having bifurcated ends 24 between which said lever is mounted. The stems 25 and 26 respectively of said valves are divided at their upper ends and straddle the said lever on opposite sides of the fulcrum 22, being pivotally connected to said lever at points 27 and 28. Said valve stems 'slide through stufling boxes 29 and 30 which are screwed into appropriate apertures formed in the valve casing 11. .It will be observed from Figure 4; that the lever 21 is normally urged by the spring 31 to assume a position in which the valve 16 is closed.

The lever 21 is manually'rocked in order to open the air supply valve 16 and this is conveniently done by means of a lever pivotally secured at the end of a lug 33 supported on the discharge branch 7 ofthe gasoline pipe 6. The outer end of this lever is preferably made in the form of a hook for the reception of the nozzleof the gasoline hose whereon to hang the latter when not in use.

Intermediate its ends the lever 32 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the link 33 the lower end of which'is slotted as at 3-1 and makes pivotal connection with any aperture 35 in the end of lever 21. The link 33 connected and simultaneously lowering the opposite end of said lever closing the vent valve 17. As it would be undersirable and inconvenient to have the parts so arranged that the operator must continue the pull on the hose during the whole time the measuring tank is being filled, means are provided for engaging the elevated end of said lever when once it has been manually raised and holding it in this position until the maximum level of liquid in'the measuring tank has been attained, at which time said engaging and holding means is tripped by means responsive to the liquid level, permitting the opposite movement of the lever impelled by the pull of the spring 31, thus closing the air supply valve and simultaneously opening the vent valve 17.

This means comprises a float 38 arranged within the measuring tank mounted upon a stem 39 which is freely reciprocable through a vertical guideway 40 passing through the top header 41 of said tank. The upper end of said stem is pivotally connected to a rocking lever 42 theouter end of which is pivotally joined to a reciprocating rod -13 connected at its lower end to one arm of a bell crank lever 1-1. The bell crank lever 44 is swingably mounted upon a pin projecting from the outside of the valve casing 11 and has an arm 15 engageable with the under surface of the" lever 21 to hold the end of said lever adjacent the pressure supply valve in an elevated position until said. arm is tripped from underthe lever 21 by dowi1--. ward movement of the reciprocating rod 23 the float would travel a little higher than the desired level before permitting the cut off of the fluid pressure to the pressure tank an excess quantity of gasoline will be forced into the measuring tank which excess will immediately flow back by means of the branch 8 of the gasoline pipe 6 to the storage reservoir 1.

The slotted connection 47 between the line 33 and the end of the lever 21 permits the latter to freely travel throughout its range of movement from open to closed po- 1 sition of the valves irrespective of the fact that the link 33 is urged-to its uppermost position by means of the spring 37 immediately upon letting go the pull on the hose.

The gate valve 48 is normally closed but may be opened whenydesired to permit the contents of the measuring tank to drain back into the'return conduit 8, and valve 49 in the pressure supplyconrlui-t 10 permits the pressure to be positively-cut ofl should this at any time become necessary.

A convex hood 46 is suitably secured over the upper end of the tank 3 in order to protect the rocking lever 42 and other parts from the weather. I

In operating the device, the measuring tank being empty, the attendant grasps the hose which is hung from the hooked end of the lever 32 as shown in figure 1 and pulls down on the hose. This causes a rocking of the lever 21 in a direction to open the pressure supply valve 16. As soon as the pull on the hose is released the lever 32 will rise .to its normal position of repose through the influence of the spring 37. By virtue of the slotted connection 47 this return inovement of the lever 32 will not disturb the newly assumed position of the lever 21 in which the supply valve 16 is open. As-the float at this time is; at its lowermost level, the bell crank 44 will, previously to the movement of the lever, have assumed such position that its arm 45 is ready to perform a rocking movement beneath said lever 21, due to the weight of the float as soon as said lever is raised. This movement having taken place the lever 21 is engaged by said bell crank and held in position to maintain the pressure supply valve 16 open against the tension of the spring 31 until the rise of liquidin the measuring tank 3 causes an elevation of the float and a rocking of the bell crank 44 in a reverse direction, disengaging the arm 45 from the undersurface of the lever 21 when the float reaches itsupper limit of travel and permitting the return of the latter to the closed position of the pressure supply valve through the pull of the spring 31. The measured quantity of gasoline will now be in *the filling tank. Any excess quantity which may happen to have flowed into said tank due to sluggishness of move ment of the float or leakage in the air sup-. ply admission valve will overflow by gravity into branch 8 of the gasoline pipe 6 from which it is carried back to the storage reservoir.

When it is desired to fill the tank. of an automobile or to fill any other receptacle the gasoline hose is removed from the hooked end of. the lever .32, placed in the filling aperture of said tank or receptacle and the usual valve found on the nozzle of such hose opened. The tank 3-is preferably of transparent material and has the units of measure plalnly marked thereon so that any definite quantity of liquid can be drawneration of the filling mechanism will be automatically stopped.

it is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the invention and it is therefore to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific con str-uction shown and described;

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank'to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank,

a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to sald pressure tank; means for actuating said valve and means responsive to the liquid level in said measuring tank for controlling said actuating means.

2. In a liquid vending device, a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid "from said pressure tank to said measuring'tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, means for opening said valve, other means for closing said valve and means responsive to the liquid level in said measuring tank for f controlling said closing means.

3. In a liquid vending device, a pressure tank, a measuring tank, a conduit for the passage to liquid from. said pressure tank to said measuringtank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, manual means for opening said valve, other means for closing said valve, and means supplemental to said manual means for holding said valve open. said supplemental means being responsive to the liquid level in said measuring tank for controlling said closing means. i

4. In a liquid vending device, avmeasuring tank, and a pressure tank, said pressure tank being below the level of the measuring tank, a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to the measuring tank, a fluid pressure system for said pressure tank including a conduit in communication with said pressure tank having branches comprising a fluid pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit, inlet and outlet valves controlling said conduits and constructed to simultaneously operate. the one to close and the other to open its respective conduit, means for closing said 'inlet valve and means responsive to the ing said inlet valve, and means responsive liquid levelin said measuring tank for controlling said closing means. I

5. In a liquid vending device, a measuring tank, and a pressure tank, said pressure tank being below the level of the measuring tank,'a ('OHdHitfor the passage of liquid' from said pressure tank to the measuring .tank, a fluid pressure system for 'said pressure tank including a conduit in communicationfivith said pressure tank having branches comprising a fluid pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit, inlet and outlet valves controlling said conduits and constructed to simultaneously operate, the one to close and theother to open its respective conduit, means for opening said inlet valve, other means for closto the liquid level in said measuring tank for controlling said closing means.

(3. In a. liquid vending device,a measuring tank, and a pressure tank. said pressure tank being below the level of the measuring tank, a conduit forthe passage of liquid from said pressure tankto the measuring tank, a fluid pressure system for said pressure tank including a conduit in communication with said pressure tank having branches comprising a fluid pressure supply conduit and .a venting conduit, inlet and outlet valves controlling said conduits and constructed to simultaneously operate, the one to close and the other to open its respective conduit. manual means for opening said inlet valve, other means for closing: said valve and means supplemental to said manual means for holding said valve open, said supplemental means being responsive to the liquid level in said measuring tank for controlling said' closing means.

7. In a. liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank. a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressur tank. a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank,

a pivotally mounted lever for operating said valve, means normally urging said lever into valve closing position, and means associated with said lever movable in one direction to rock said lever to the open position of said valve and movable in the other direction independently of said lever.

8. In a liquid vending device a pressure tank; a measuring tank and'a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for operating said valve, means connected to one end of said lever for normally urging said lever into valve closing position and means associated with the other end of said lever movable manually in one direction to rock said leverto the open position of said valve and resilient means for returning said manually movable means in the opposite direction independently of said lever.

9. In a liquid vending device a ressure tank, a measuring tank and a con uit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for operating said valve, resilient means for moving said lever to close said valve, manually actuated means to move said lever to the open position of said valve, means for returning said manually actuated means to normal position and a pin and slot connection between said manually actuated means and lever. to permit the return of said manually actuated means independently of said lever.

10. In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends for operating said valve means for moving said lever to close said valve, manually actuated means to move said lever for initially opening said valve and means responsive to change in level of the liquid in said measuring tank for holding said lever open independently of said manually actuated means.

11. In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for th passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank. a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends for operating said valve, means constantly urging said lever into valve closing position, a pivotally mounted hose bracket, a member connected to said hose bracket and actuated thereby movable in one direction to rock said lever to open said valve, means to return said member to normal position and a pin and slot connection between said member and lever to permit the return of said member independently of said lever.

12, In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends for operating said valve, means for moving said lever in one direction to close said valve. manually actuated means movable in one direction to rock said lever to open said valve, a pin and slot connection between said manually actuated means and said lever "permitting relative independent movement therebe tween, means responsive to change in level of the liquid in the measuring tank for engaging said lever to hold it in valve open position independently of said manually actuated means and means for returning said manually actuated means to normal position.

13., In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends for operating said valve, means for moving said lever in one direction to close said valve, manually actuated means movable in one (lie rection to rock said lever to open said valve, a pin and slot connection between said manually actuated means and said lever permitting relative independent movement 'there between, means responsive to change in level of the liquid in the measuring tank for engaging said lever to hold it in valve open position independently of said manually actuated means and resilient means for returning said manually actuated means to normal position.

14:. In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to said measuring tank, a fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends for operating said valve, means for moving said lever in one direction to closesaid valve, manually actuated means movable'in one direction to rock saidlever to open said valve, a pin and slot connection between said manually actuated means and lever permitting relative movement therebetween, means responsive to change in level of liquid in the measurng tank engaging said lever for holding it In valve open position independently of said manually actuated means, said level responsive means being disengageable from said lever when a predetermined high level of liquid in said tank has been attained,to permit the operation of said .valve closing means.

15. In a liquid vending device a pressure tank, a measuring tank and a conduit for the passage of liquid from said-pressure tank to said measuring tank, av fluid pressure conduit connected to said pressure tank, a valve in said conduit for admitting fluid under pressure to said pressure tank, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends for operating said valve, means for moving said lever in one direction to close said valve, manually actuated means movable in one direction to rock said lever to open said valve, a pin and slot connection between said manually actuated means and lever to permit relative independent movement therebetween, means responsive to change in level of liquid in the measuring tank engaging said lever to hold it in open position of said valve independently of said manually actuated means, said level responsive means comprising a float in said measuring tank, a bell crank pivotally mounted in operative relation to said lever a connection between said float and bell crank, said bell crank being held in the .path of descent of said lever by the weight of said float and movable out of the path of the descent of said lever by the buoyancy of said float.

16. In a liquid vending device, a measuring tank, and a pressure tank, said pressure tank being below the level of the measuring tank, a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to the measuring tank, a fluid pressure system for said pressure tank including a conduit in communication with said pressure tank having branches comprising a fluid pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit, inlet and outlet valves controlling said conduits and constructed to simultaneouslyoperate, the one to close and the other to open vits respective conduit, means for operating said inlet valve, comprising a lever engaging said valves and pivotally mounted therebetween, means for constantly urging said lever to close said inlet valve, manually actuated means to move said lever for initially opening said valve and means responsive to change in level of the liquid in said measuring tank for holding said lever open independently of said manually actuated means.

- 17. In a liquid vending device, a measuring lOU llO

tank, and a pressure tank, said pressure tank being below the level of the measuring tank, a conduit for the passage of liquid from said pressure tank to the measuring tank, a fluid pressure system for said pressure tank including a conduit in communication with a said pressure tank having branches comprisvalves and pivotallymounted therebetween, means for constantly urging .said lever to ing a fluid pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit, inlet and outlet valves controlling said conduits and constructed to simultaneously operate, the one to close and the other to open its respective conduit, means for operating said inlet valve comprising a lever 'engaglng said valves and pivotally mounted therebetween, means for constantly urging said lever to close said inlet valve, a pivotally mounted hose bracket, a. member connected to said hose bracket and actuated thereby movable in one direction:to rock said lever into the open position of said inlet valve, means to return said member to normal position and a pin and slot connection between said member and lever to permit the return of said member independently of said lever.

18. In a liquid vending device, a measuring tank, and a pressure tank, said pressureclose said inlet valve, manually actuated meansmovable in one direction to rock said, leverto open said valve, a pln and slot con nection betweenv said manually actuated means-and 'said lever' permitting relative independent movementtherebetween, means responsive to change in level of the liquid in the measuring tank for engaging said lever to hold it in open position of said inlet valve independently of .said manually actuated means andmeans for returning said manually actuated means to normal position. I v

19.]In a liquid vending device, a measuring tank, and a pressure tank, said pressure tank being below thelevel of the measuring tank, a conduit tor thepassage'of liquid from said pressure tank to the measuring tank, a fluid pressure system for said pressure tank including a conduit in communicationwith said pressure tank having branches comprising a fluid pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit, inlet and outlet. valves controlling said conduits and constructed to to change in level of the liquid 'in the' measuring tank for engaging said lever to hold it in open positionot said inletvalve independently of said manually actuated means and resilient means for returning said manually actuated means to normal position.

20. In a liquid vending-device, a measuring tank, and a pressure tank, said pressure tank being below the level of the measuring tank,- a conduit forflthe passage of liquid from said pressure tank to the -measuring tank, a fluid pressure system for said pressure tank including a conduit in communication with said pressure tank having branches comprising a fluid pressure supply conduit and a venting conduit, inlet and outlet valves controllingsaid conduits and constructed to simultaneously operate, the one to close and the other to open its respective conduit, means for operating said-in let valve comprising a lever engaging said valves and pivotally mounted therebetween, means for constantly urging said lever to close said inlet valve, manually actuated means movable in one direction to rock saidlever to open said valve, a pin and slot connection between said manually actuated means and lever to permit relative independent movement therebetween, means responsive to change in level of liquid in the measuring tank engaging said lever to hold it in open position of said inlet valve independently of said manually actuated means, said level responsive means comprising a float in said measuring tank, a bell crank pivotally mounted in operative relation to said lever a connection between said float and bell crank, said bell crank being held in the path of descent of said lever-by the weight of said float and movable, out of the path 'of descent of said lever by the buoyancy of said float.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presenceot two subscribing witnesses.

' i I JOHN C. GEBHART.

Witnesses: I

' R. A. LEWIS,

A. L. HILL. 

